Perovskite structured barium titanate particles ($BaTiO_3$) platelets were synthesized by molten salt synthesis and topochemical microcrystal conversion. As the precursors of $BaTiO_3$, plate-like $BaBi_4Ti_4O_{15}$ particles were first synthesized by the reaction of $Bi_4Ti_3O_{12}$, $BaCO_3$, and $TiO_2$ at $1080^{circ}C$ for 3 h in $BaCl_2$-KCl molten salt. After the topochemical reactions, layer-structured $BaBi_4Ti_4O_{15}$ particles transformed to the perovskite $BaTiO_3$ platelets. $BaTiO_3$ particles with thickness of approximately $0.5{mu}m$ and a length of $10-15{mu}m$ retained the morphology feature of the $BaBi_4Ti_4O_{15}$ precursor. For <001> $Pb(Mg_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3-32.5PbTiO_3$ (PMNT)-5 wt % PbO piezoelectric ceramics textured with 5 vol % of $BaTiO_3$ templates, the Lotgering factor reached 0.82, and $d_{33}$ was 870 pC/N.